Liver Transplant Program

Beaumont Hospital has developed a new liver transplant program. The liver transplant program joins the roster of successful organ transplantation programs at Beaumont, where surgeons performed more than 75,000 general surgeries in 2006. This makes Beaumont one of the most experienced surgery centers in the nation. The Beaumont liver transplant program is spearheaded by Alan J. Koffron, M.D., director of multi-organ transplantation at our Royal Oak facility and the world's only doctor currently performing minimally invasive live liver harvesting. This procedure results in better success rates and quicker patient recovery time.

Beaumont plans to offer Michigan residents both traditional and live-donor liver transplantation services, along with the world's only laparoscopic liver surgery and minimally invasive liver donation. Our innovative liver donation capabilities mean a greater opportunity for patients who need a liver, as more livers will become available. Those who receive this minimally invasive liver procedure are back on their feet and back to their normal lives more quickly. And the recovery time of the live donors is measured in days - not weeks.

The United Network for Organ Sharing notes that more than 17,000 Americans are on waiting lists to receive a liver transplant, including nearly 400 in Michigan. Liver transplants are second to kidney transplants in the number of transplant procedures performed in the U.S. each year. A living donor can donate a portion of his or her liver to someone who needs a transplant, or an organ can come from a deceased donor.

While the liver transplant program is relatively new to Beaumont, the hospital has performed kidney transplant surgeries for more than two decades. Beaumont's Royal Oak Kidney Transplant Center provides comprehensive care to patients with chronic kidney disease, including end-stage renal disease.

The Beaumont transplant team includes surgeons, liver specialists and nurse coordinators who work together to manage patient care, from pre-transplant evaluation through recovery. Patients also have a dedicated transplant coordinator they can contact anytime.

If you have been diagnosed with a liver disorder and would likean expert opinion,call 248-551-0729.